Terese Marie Mailhot: Americans wake up to their racist nation


Terese Marie Mailhot. Photo from Facebook

Are your White friends still complaining about the election and other problems that were around before the election? Writer Terese Marie Mailhot (Seabird Island Band) offers some thoughts on moving on:
White people on the left are coping with the realization that America is racist. I’ve been doing that Indian thing where I disassociate and make jokes until I can commit to life again or resign completely. White tears taste like champagne. I wonder what our tears tasted like all these years?

Aren’t we all tempted, when we see white people in tears over their disenfranchisement, to say, “Now you know.”

It’s small of me to feel that way. But these white people have been bold. White people are asking other white people how they can fix this problem. Lord Jesus. Didn’t they know mass deportation? Standing Rock, stop and frisk, and police brutality were already prevalent issues? Didn’t they feel their world was falling apart before this?

They’re new to despair, but eventually they’ll learn to laugh at the absurdity and get to their cars safely, and stay on the right side of the street, or know when to walk straight ahead without averting their eyes, or how to comply, or how to distrust authorities, doctors, and institutions.

Read More:
Terese Mailhot: White Tears Taste Like Champagne (Indian Country Today 11/25)

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